News / National
Tsvangirai tells rebels to 'shut up or ship out'
14 Apr 2014 at 06:58hrs | Views
MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora yesterday said expelled deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma was a recipient of poor legal advice from amateur lawyers.
Mangoma, national executive member Last Maengahama, youth secretary general Promise Mkhwananzi and Jacob Mafume, who previously worked as a director in the MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai's office, were expelled from the party last week but vowed to ignore the decision saying it was null and void.
Mangoma is accused of leading a group of party members pushing for Tsvangirai's ouster in breach of the party's constitution.
Mafume is Mangoma's lawyer and spokesman for the anti-Tsvangirai lobby.
"It is interesting that Mangoma is still in denial but the decision is final. His spokesperson is misquoting the law and Mangoma is a recipient of poor legal advice from his amateur lawyers," Mwonzora said on the sidelines of his party's rally at Chinotimba Stadium.
The party was meeting its Victoria Falls and Matabeleland North supporters for the first time since the ouster of provincial chairperson Sengezo Tshabangu early last month allegedly for dining with Mangoma's anti-Tsvangirai renewal team.
The former Prime Minister decided to meet provincial council members in a closed four-hour meeting ahead of the rally as it was suspected that Tshabangu loyalists wanted to cause chaos at the meeting.
During the meeting, Tsvangirai was urged to expel all supporters linked to Tshabangu and the Mangoma faction. "You have no power to suspend your chairman, that is nowhere in the constitution. Yes we saw your petition but it is the decision of the higher body of national council that should say so. For those we have expelled, discipline should go with democracy and I defend the decision of the higher body," said Tsvangirai while responding to concerns from a provincial council member during the closed door meeting.
The provincial members reportedly passed a vote of no confidence in Tshabangu and his executive early last month over links to the anti-Tsvangirai lobby and now want them expelled.
"Tshabangu was not dismissed from party. There was a vote of no confidence by province but he remains a member of the party although we now have an acting chairman," said Mwonzora.
Thembinkosi Sibindi is the acting chairman.
Earlier, the party's national chairman, Lovemore Moyo, encouraged members not to allow the so-called rebels back in the party.
"I want to announce to you that, that boy who has been leading the province is no longer in the party. We cannot have a chairman who advocates for the removal of president. We will be bound by Tsvangirai and whoever doesn't want that must go.
"We made a resolution to deal with them and you must not give them space at all. This is the time ukuthi libabhale banyile. We do not want violence but people should not provoke us by disturbing our party," said Moyo in reference to Tshabangu.
The party's women's league leader, Theresa Makone, advocated for absolute powers for Tsvangirai so he could deal with those against his rule in the party.
"They can go and form their own party. We hear there is a chairman who has been working with these people, he should go as well. We know they are being given money to destabilise our party but we cannot be disturbed by people who want to put the party into their pockets. President Tsvangirai should be given more powers so that no party money can be signed for by treasurer and secretary without his signature as president, we want a president with more power," she said.
In his speech, Tsvangirai said Zimbabweans will soon shed tears of joy when his party rules as he promised to mobilise his supporters for regime change.
"We will cry tears of joy when Zanu-PF is gone. We are going to put pressure on this regime, we are going to organise people into action and change this regime. They can write what they want in newspapers or do anything but they will never destroy my spirit, the collective spirit we have," he said.
Turning to the rebels, Tsvangirai said, "Democracy is not indiscipline, if you can't shut up, ship out".
Mangoma, national executive member Last Maengahama, youth secretary general Promise Mkhwananzi and Jacob Mafume, who previously worked as a director in the MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai's office, were expelled from the party last week but vowed to ignore the decision saying it was null and void.
Mangoma is accused of leading a group of party members pushing for Tsvangirai's ouster in breach of the party's constitution.
Mafume is Mangoma's lawyer and spokesman for the anti-Tsvangirai lobby.
"It is interesting that Mangoma is still in denial but the decision is final. His spokesperson is misquoting the law and Mangoma is a recipient of poor legal advice from his amateur lawyers," Mwonzora said on the sidelines of his party's rally at Chinotimba Stadium.
The party was meeting its Victoria Falls and Matabeleland North supporters for the first time since the ouster of provincial chairperson Sengezo Tshabangu early last month allegedly for dining with Mangoma's anti-Tsvangirai renewal team.
The former Prime Minister decided to meet provincial council members in a closed four-hour meeting ahead of the rally as it was suspected that Tshabangu loyalists wanted to cause chaos at the meeting.
During the meeting, Tsvangirai was urged to expel all supporters linked to Tshabangu and the Mangoma faction. "You have no power to suspend your chairman, that is nowhere in the constitution. Yes we saw your petition but it is the decision of the higher body of national council that should say so. For those we have expelled, discipline should go with democracy and I defend the decision of the higher body," said Tsvangirai while responding to concerns from a provincial council member during the closed door meeting.
The provincial members reportedly passed a vote of no confidence in Tshabangu and his executive early last month over links to the anti-Tsvangirai lobby and now want them expelled.
"Tshabangu was not dismissed from party. There was a vote of no confidence by province but he remains a member of the party although we now have an acting chairman," said Mwonzora.
Thembinkosi Sibindi is the acting chairman.
Earlier, the party's national chairman, Lovemore Moyo, encouraged members not to allow the so-called rebels back in the party.
"I want to announce to you that, that boy who has been leading the province is no longer in the party. We cannot have a chairman who advocates for the removal of president. We will be bound by Tsvangirai and whoever doesn't want that must go.
"We made a resolution to deal with them and you must not give them space at all. This is the time ukuthi libabhale banyile. We do not want violence but people should not provoke us by disturbing our party," said Moyo in reference to Tshabangu.
The party's women's league leader, Theresa Makone, advocated for absolute powers for Tsvangirai so he could deal with those against his rule in the party.
"They can go and form their own party. We hear there is a chairman who has been working with these people, he should go as well. We know they are being given money to destabilise our party but we cannot be disturbed by people who want to put the party into their pockets. President Tsvangirai should be given more powers so that no party money can be signed for by treasurer and secretary without his signature as president, we want a president with more power," she said.
In his speech, Tsvangirai said Zimbabweans will soon shed tears of joy when his party rules as he promised to mobilise his supporters for regime change.
"We will cry tears of joy when Zanu-PF is gone. We are going to put pressure on this regime, we are going to organise people into action and change this regime. They can write what they want in newspapers or do anything but they will never destroy my spirit, the collective spirit we have," he said.
Turning to the rebels, Tsvangirai said, "Democracy is not indiscipline, if you can't shut up, ship out".
Source - chronicle
